Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, but even today many historical signs of Hindu culture are present here. The most special among these is Prambanan Temple, which is considered to be the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited this temple during his visit to Indonesia, due to which this historical heritage once again came into discussion.
Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, where there were once about 240 temples. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma and the entire story of Ramayana is engraved on its walls through beautiful carvings.
Prambanan Temple is near the city of Yogyakarta in the Central Java province of Indonesia. It is the second largest Hindu temple complex in South-East Asia. In the first place is the famous Angkor Wat of Cambodia. Due to its high minarets and magnificent carvings, this temple attracts tourists from all over the world.
According to historians, the Prambanan Temple was built by the Sanjaya dynasty of the ancient Mataram kingdom between the 9th and 10th centuries. This temple is dedicated to the Trinity of Hindu religion i.e. Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma. In view of its historical and cultural importance, in the year 1991, it was given the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The biggest identity of Prambanan Temple is its high and pointed towers. The main attraction of the temple is the temple of Lord Shiva, whose height is about 47 meters. Inside it, idols of Lord Shiva, Mother Durga, Lord Ganesha and Rishi Agastya are installed. The entire temple complex was specially planned according to Hindu beliefs. Earlier there were about 240 temples here, which were spread over an area of about 40 hectares. Many small temples got damaged with time, but the main temples still retain their grandeur.
The beautiful carvings on the walls of Prambanan Temple are its most unique identity. Here many incidents of Ramayana have been carved beautifully on the stones. Devotees and tourists can see the entire story of Ramayana through these pictures while circling the temple. Even today, Ramayana Ballet is organized on the open stage in the temple premises, where the story of Ramayana is presented through dance, music and acting.
There is also a popular folk tale associated with the Prambanan temple. It is said that to avoid marrying a warrior, Princess Roro Zongrang had set a condition for him to build 1,000 temples in a single night. The warrior almost completed this task, but the princess cleverly created the illusion of morning. Due to this the work remained incomplete. In anger, the warrior cursed the princess to become a stone statue. Although historians consider it to be merely a folktale, this story is still part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage.
Over time, the temple suffered a lot of damage due to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and long-term lack of care. It was rediscovered in the 19th century, after which work on its conservation and restoration began. The temple was also damaged by the earthquake in 2006, but due to the ongoing conservation work, its main part is still safe.
